Patient information from BMJ

Shingles vaccine

Last published:Aug 08, 2025

The shingles vaccine is designed to reduce your chances of getting shingles. Shingles is a condition that causes a painful rash on your skin. The vaccine also aims to protect you against serious problems like long-lasting pain if you do get the illness.

What is shingles?

Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a painful rash that happens when the virus that causes chickenpox ‘reactivates’ in your body. This tends to happen in older people, and in people with weakened immune systems.

Shingles isn’t contagious. That means you can’t catch it from someone else who has shingles, or from someone who has chickenpox. You can only get shingles if you’ve had chickenpox before.

Shingles usually resolves on its own, but treatment can help shorten the illness and prevent serious problems like long-lasting pain (called post-herpetic neuralgia).

Who needs the shingles vaccine?

Shingles mainly affects older people, so you’ll normally be offered this vaccine as you get older. But you may also be offered it if you have a condition that weakens your immune system. For example, if you have HIV or cancer. The vaccine you will be offered is called Shingrix.

Shingrix is recommended for everyone aged 50 years and older. It’s also recommended for adults aged 19 years and older who have a weakened immune system.

If the vaccine is offered to you, you should still have it even if you:

• have had shingles in the past

• don’t remember having had chickenpox in the past

• have had the chickenpox vaccine, or

• have had an older shingles vaccine called Zostavax, which is no longer being used.

You can usually be given Shingrix at the same time as other vaccines.

How is the vaccination given?

Your doctor or pharmacist will administer Shingrix as a shot into your arm. For the best protection you need two doses. These are normally given between 2 and 6 months apart. But if you have a weakened immune system, the gap between doses will be shorter (between 1 and 2 months apart).

Is there anyone who shouldn’t have the vaccine?

You should not have the shingles vaccine if you:

• have had a severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of Shingrix, or any of its ingredients

• are pregnant, or think that you might be

• are quite unwell with a cold or illness (with or without a fever). You should wait to get the vaccine until you’re feeling better.

Is the vaccine safe?

The shingles vaccine has been used for many years and is safe for most people. But it can sometimes cause side effects. These are usually mild and only last for a short time. Side effects can include:

• pain, itching, redness, warmth, or bruising where the shot was given 

• headache

• feeling tired

• an aching body

• shivering/feeling chills

• stomach pain

• nausea.

These side effects should only last a few days. If they last any longer, talk to your doctor.

Very rarely, the shingles vaccine can cause a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). The staff giving the vaccine will have been trained in how to deal with this if it happens.

How well does the vaccine work?

Shingrix gives strong protection against shingles. Research shows that the vaccine helps to prevent shingles for around 9 in every 10 people.[1]​ This protection remains strong for at least seven years after having the vaccine.[2]

The vaccine is also very effective at protecting you from long-lasting pain (post-herpetic neuralgia) that some people get with the illness.